Soner Soylu

Field lab

Understand the systems, then diagnose

I have grouped the turbine under eight system headings. Each brings together a page on how the system works, a real case from the field and the relevant tools. Pages marked (Turkish) are not yet available in English.

Power flow · click a section

  1. Blades · hubRotor
  2. Shaft · gearboxDrivetrain
  3. ElectricalGenerator
  4. Power electronicsConverter
  5. Transformer · connectionGrid

Energy flows from wind to grid in this order. Yaw, control, thermal and structure serve the whole chain.

Module 014 resources

Drivetrain

Main bearing, main shaft, gearbox and coupling

The chain that turns the rotor’s slow, high-torque rotation into the speed the generator needs. Most faults start with lubrication, alignment and bearing loads.

Module 025 resources

Pitch and rotor

Blade angle, pitch motor and gearbox, encoder

Adjusts the blade angle to limit power and stop the turbine; it is also the turbine’s primary brake.

Module 033 resources

Yaw

Bearing, motors and brake that turn the nacelle into the wind

Turns the nacelle to face the wind. Lubrication, the wind vane and the control parameters work together; when one fails, oscillation and wear follow.

Module 043 resources

Electrical and power electronics

Generator, converter, transformer and connections

Turns mechanical power into electricity at the voltage and frequency the grid needs. Intermittent faults often point to a connection that heats up under load.

Module 054 resources

Control and SCADA

Sensors, PLC, alarm codes, trends

The part of the turbine that makes decisions. The first step of a good diagnosis is reading the alarm code and the SCADA trend correctly; the reading does not always show reality.

Module 063 resources

Thermal and lubrication

Temperature, cooling, oil and grease

Temperature is often the first visible trace of a fault. If oil level and grease distribution are not checked regularly, the fault builds up in the trend months ahead.

Module 073 resources

Structure and joints

Foundation, tower, flanges, bolts

The structure that carries the turbine’s loads to the ground. Bolt preload and flange joints are among the most repeated jobs on site, and the ones not to skip.

Module 083 resources

Wind and production

Power curve, air density, capacity factor

The energy you can take from the wind rises with the cube of its speed. Judging production means reading wind, density and the power curve together.

The information here is field experience and does not replace the manufacturer service documentation. On every intervention your own turbine OEM instructions, LOTO procedure and site safety rules govern. For unfamiliar terms, see the glossary.